Archives
Online Collections
Search for materials by digital collection subjects or by a collection database/guide.
The Archives continues to grow its online collections with selected digitized materials and “born-digital” materials, those originally created in digital form for which no physical copy exists.
Read the Materials Use Policy for conditions governing reproduction and publication of online collection materials.Rollins Collections
Books Arts Collection at Rollins
The Rollins Book Arts Collection is supported by a close collaboration between three entities on campus: The Department of Art & Art History, the Rollins Museum of Art, and the Olin Library. It is guided by an advisory board that includes students, staff, and faculty from across our campus community.
Book Art pieces can be accessed in the Rollins College Archives and Special Collections reading room of Olin Library, with some pieces displayed on the main floor near Room 230.
Faces of Rollins
This collection contains images of ordinary students, famous alumni, faculty and staff, and famed scholars and celebrities who visited Rollins College over the years.
It illustrates daily lives and historical events on campus, and commemorates the landmark achievement of the people of Rollins in its distinguished history.
Golden Personalities
Hamilton Holt (1872-1951), eighth president of the College, coined the term Golden Personalities: "men and women of learning whose sole love was teaching, who enjoyed associating with young people, individuals with noble characters." To honor Holt, this project documents the lives of leading citizens of both Rollins College and the City of Winter Park.
Hamilton Holt
Dr. Hamilton Holt (1872-1951), the eighth President of Rollins, fostered a great legacy of expansion and growth for the College. The pictures contained in this collection span his tenure at Rollins (1925-1949) and also his life.
Here you will find a collection of his photos, speeches, and writings. Each image explains some aspect of his legacy.
Oral History Archive
While working as the Head of Archives and Special Collections, Professor Wenxian Zhang noticed that Rollins lacked a comprehensive oral history research program. In the fall of 2004, an oral history seminar was coordinated on campus by the College Archives, the Winter Park Historical Society, and the Winter Park Public Library; the program attracted faculty members from History, Anthropology and English Departments, as well as people from the local historical community. Based on the workshop, a grant application was submitted for a student-faculty collaborative program, and the Rollins oral history research project was launched in the summer of 2005. A subsequent grant was added five years later, and a series of oral interviews were conducted as part of Rollins' 125th Anniversary celebration in summer 2010.
These interviews prompted the participants to reflect upon their years at Rollins, the challenges they have faced and the accomplishments of their careers in leadership, teaching, scholarship, and community services.
Pathway to Diversity at Rollins
This collection documents the stories of African-American students, staff, and faculty at Rollins as well as the experiences of the African-American community in Central Florida throughout the 20th century. Featured materials focus on early leaders in black education, campus and local community controversies surrounding issues of race and inclusion, the process of desegregating campus spaces, and the integration of Rollins’ sports teams.
This project was made possible by a 2018-2019 Associated Colleges of the South Diversity Grant and the images from this collection were selected and digitized by Rollins history majors. To find out more about these students’ research experiences and to learn more about the aims of the grant, visit the Pathway to Diversity Blog
Rollins Architecture and Landscape
This collection consists of historical photographs of the College’s buildings and grounds. This includes dedications, construction, exterior and interior design and decoration, and landscape scenes.
Rollins Web Archives
Begun in 2013, the Rollins Web Archives documents the historic web presence of the College to ensure that an accurate record of College operations, activities, and communications is preserved and accessible well into the future.
In addition to College websites and pages, it selectively captures web content that complements the Special Collections. Search the Web Archives for College catalogues and course schedules, departmental websites, and campus publications
The Sandspur
Published since 1894, The Sandspur is the student newspaper of Rollins College. Issues from December 1894 to April 2014 have been digitized and are accessible through Central Florida Memory.
In 2013, the Rollins Web Archives began periodic captures of The Sandspur website, which publishes content supplemental to the print version, accessed through the Wayback Machine.
Student Lives at Rollins
This collection provides visual documentation of the student lives at Rollins from a historical perspective: curriculum, rules and regulations, student groups, diversity and multiculturalism, community services, internationalization, student theatrical plays, physical education programs and more.
The Tomokan
Published from 1917 to 2007, the Tomokan was Rollins’ college yearbook. The complete run has been digitized, and is available through Rollins Scholarship Online.
Years 1931 to 2007 are also accessible through the Internet Archive.
Treasures at Rollins Archives
Items in this collection range from a set of presidential portraits with autographs, to a handwritten note by Walt Whitman, and the sweater and sneakers worn by Mr. Fred Rogers. Many other historical documents are included, such as a presidential correspondence and land grant certificates from the nineteenth century.
Florida Historical Collections
3D Historical Artifact Images
Imaged by the Rollins Archaeology and Anthropology Programs, this collection provides virtual documentation of rare historical artifacts collected by Rollins College over the years, some of which are housed within the College Archives & Special Collections.
Items in this collection range from cuneiform tablets to ancient Egyptian statuettes to native Floridian weapons and tools.
Genius Reserve
In 1920, Charles Hosmer Morse acquired land situated between lakes Virginia, Berry and Mizell. On this site, he planted citrus groves and carved a scenic road that would later become a local attraction: Winter Park’s treasured Genius Drive.
The Genius Reserve website collects publications, images, maps, and information on this beautiful "working laboratory in landscape restoration and living model of sustainability."
Winter Park and Florida
This collection includes photos, postcards, and historical documents that are related to Winter Park and Florida before the age of theme parks. Through enhanced access to this digital resource, users will be able to learn about lives of early pioneers, homes and haunts, events and people who helped shape the histories of Winter Park and other Central Florida communities.
Explore by Collection Guides
Our collection databases can help you narrow your search. Learn more about what you can find in each collection:
Archive at Rollins College (ARC)
A database of finding aids for our physical holdings that include collection descriptions, scope and contents, and may have box and folder inventories.
ARC User Guide.
Digital Archive Collections
A platform dedicated to collections of digitized materials documenting the history, art, treasures and student and faculty life of Rollins College and Winter Park.
Rollins Scholarship Online (RSO)
A platform for collecting, describing, organizing, and sharing works that document the scholarly, creative, and professional activities of Rollins faculty, staff, and students.